Refrigerating apparatus



Nov. 3,.1936.- J L. GIBSON REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 51, 1934 A v O I J\ l) m Fig.3

Patented Nov. 3, 1936 2,059,942 anraroaazirrnc APPARATUS J Lowell Gibson, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Gen oral-Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application January 31, 1934, Serial No. 709,140

Renewed March 2'7, 1936 -16 Claims. (01. 62-122) This invention relates to refrigeration, and more particularly to the recovery of vapors from storage tanks and the like.

It is among the objects of this invention to 5 provide an improved method and apparatus for recovering vapors, such as hydrocarbon vapors, from storage tanks or the like containing hydrocarbon or other volatile liquids and thus to pre- 7 vent loss of such vapors by reason 01 the breath- 10 ing action inherent in such tanks.

Further objects and advantages oi. the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing: Fig. l is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation or another embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of still another embodiment of this invention.

According to my invention, vapors from storage tanks III are conveyed by a vapor conveying means or pipe H to a contact means l2. Here the vapors are contacted with a liquid preferably conveyed from the tank by liquid conveying means or pipe IS. The vapors are absorbed here by the liquid in the contact means and, prefer- -3 ably, the liquid with the absorbed vapors is returned to the storage tank ill by liquid conveying means l4 cqnnecting the contact means i2 and the tank In.

Suitable circulating devices are provided for insuring the circulation of the various fluids. Ordinarily the vapors from the tank l-0 circulate due to pressure differentials created between the tank and the atmosphere by reason of temperature or barometric changes or because of filling .40 operations, and hence no positive circulating means need be provided for the hydrocarbon vapors, as indicated in Fig. 1; but it is within the purview of this invention to provide a blower orblowers in any of the modifications, in the manner indicated in Fig. 3. Circulating means are provided for circulating hydrocarbon liquid through the pipe l3 including a pump I5 driven by an electric motor i6. Circulating means are provided for the hydrocarbon liquid in the pipe I4 including a pump ll driven by a motor l8. Refrigerating apparatus is provided to cause absorption of vapors by the liquid. In the form shown in Fig. 1, refrigeration is applied to the contact means l2. Preferably this refrigeration is applied by means of an artificial refrigeration the tank l0. Thus a diaphragm 35 is provided system. Such a system may comprise a refrigerant liquefying unit 19, for example, in the form of a compressor 20, condenser 2i, liquid refrigerant receiver 22, and this unit is connected to a, refrigerant evaporator 23 in refrigerant circulating relationship. Liquid refrigerant pipe. 24 connects the receiver 22 and the evaporator 23 and is provided with a refrigerantexpansion device or valve 25. This valve may be of any suitable type,

for example, a thermostatically operated valve 10 made responsive to" temperatures in the thermostatic bulb 26 placed at or near the outlet of the evaporator 23 in the well known manner.- The evaporator 23 may be in the form of a series of pipe bends or loops in thermal contact with con- 15 tact pans or baiiles 21.

Means are provided for automatically maintaining the temperature of the applied refrigeration betweenpredetermined temperature limits. One way of accomplishing this includes a bellows 28 connected to the refrigerant vapor line 29 which is interposed between the evaporator 23 and the compressor 20. The bellows 28 operates a snap switch29a. which starts and stops motor 30 which drives the compressor 20. The bellows 28 and snap switch 29a areso calibrated thatthey maintain the refrigerant temperature in evaporator 23 within predetermined limits.

- If desired, the operation of the motors l6 and I8 may be made dependent on pressures within- 30 which is responsive to pressure differential between the tank l0 and the atmosphere. This diaphragm 35 operates a, snap switch 36 which in turn controls operation of the motors l6 and I8. Preferably the diaphragm 35 is so calibrated that when the vapor pressure in the tank In is greater than the atmospheric pressure, then the motors operate to convey liquid to and from the contact means l2, but when the vapor pressure in the. tank It! is equal tc or less than the atmosphere then the motors do not operate. While the preferred form of the invention includes automatic operation of these motors, it is within the purview of the invention to control their operation otherwise, such as by manually controlled switches.

In the operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. l, the vapors, forced from the tank 10 by breathing action, flow through the pipe I l to the contact means I2. Any unabsorbed gaseous residue is discharged through the pipe 3i into the atmosphere or any other desired place. Absorbing liquid, in this embodiment hydrocarbon liquid from the tank' l0 itself, is circulated by the pump It to the contact means l2 where it is discharged on the upper contact pan and trickles to the bottom of the contact means I2, from whence it is returned, with the absorbed vapors, through the pipe I4 and pump II tothe tank I0. In passing through the contact means I2, the hydrocarbon liquid absorbs the hydrocarbon vapors because of the low temperature maintained by the refrigerating apparatus.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2, a storage tank 00 is provided with a contact means 0I conveniently placed on top of the tank, although it is within the purview of this invention that the contact apparatus may be placed at any other suitable location. Hydrocarbon liquid is circulated from the tank 00 by a liquid conveying means, including the pipe 02, cooler 00 to pump 04 and pipe 00, to the contact means and is returned to the tank from the contact.means by a liquid conveying means or pipe 50. The vapors from the tank 00 are conveyed to the contact means by a vapor conveying means or pipe 51 and any unabsorbable gaseous residue is discharged through the pipe 00 to the atmosphere.

Refrigeration to cause absorption of the vapors is applied, in this particular embodiment, to the hydrocarbon liquid as it is being conveyed to the contact means 5|. Thus an evaporator 00 of the refrigerating apparatus or system 00 is thermally connected to the cooler 53. The refrigerating apparatus also includes a compressor 0|, condenser 0!, receiver 03, automatic control 04, thermostatic expansion valve 60 and thermostatic bulb 06 operates substantially in the same manner as the corresponding parts in Fig. I.

The pump 54 is operated by a motor I0, and in this embodiment the motor may be also operated in accordance with vapor pressures in the tank 50. Thus a diaphragm 'II operates a snap switch I2 in a manner similar to the operation of the diaphragm 35 and switch 30 in Fig. l and causes the motor 10 to operate whenever the vapor pressure in the tank 60 is greater than atmospheric pressure and causes the motor to stop when the vapor pressure in the tank is equal to or less than atmospheric pressure.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 the tank I00 is connected by vapor conveying means or pipe IOI and blower IOIa with contact means I02. Any unabsorbed vapors or gases may be discharged through the pipe I00 into the atmosphere or other suitable space. Hydrocarbon liquid may be conveyed from the tank I00 by the liquid conveying means or pipe I04 through the pump I05, and cooler I06 to the contact means I02. The liquid, with the absorbed vapors, may be returned to the tank I00 through the liquid conveying means or pipe I01, including the pump I00.

Refrigeration may be applied to cause the liquid to absorb vapors. Thus a refrigerating apparatus or system may be connected with evaporator I00 in the cooler I00 and evaporator H0 in the contact means I02. The evaporators I00 and H0 may be connected in parallel flow relationship with the refrigerant circulating means I I I which may be a refrigerant liquefier of the type disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2.

The refrigerating liquefler thus may include a compressor II2, condenser H0, and receiver II4. Liquid refrigerant lines H0 and III connect the receiver II4 with the evaporators I00 and H0 respectively, while vapor lines III and H0 connect these evaporators with the intake of the compressor. An automatic pressure responsive snap switch H9 controls the motor I20 in accordance with the temperature-pressure charaosam acteristics of the refrigerant in evaporators I00 and H0 and automatically maintains the temperature of applied refrigeration between desired limits.

Motors I2I, I22 and I20 drive the pumps I00 0 and I00 and blower IOIa respectively. These motors may be manually controlled, or if desired, may be automatically controlled in accordance with vapor pressures in the tank I00 by means of the pressure responsive switch I24, similar in construction and operation to diaphragm 00 and switch 00 in Fig. l. The switch I24 is electrically connected to the motors I2I, I22 and Ill'respectively by lines I20, I20 and I2I which form part of the electrical circuits for these motors as readily apparent.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. The method of recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a storage tank or the like which comprises conveying said vapors from said tank to a contact means, conveying hydrocarbon liquid to said contact means from said tank, and applying refrigeration to cause absorption of said vapors by said liquid.

2. The method of recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a storage tank or the like which comprises conveying said vapors to and from said tank to and from a contact means by a breathing action, conveying hydrocarbon liquid to said contact means, and applying refrigeration to said iiquid to cause absorption of said vapors by said quid.

3. The method of recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a storage tank or the like which comprises conveying said vapors from said tank to a contact means, conveying hydrocarbon liquid to said contact means, and applying refrigeration to said contact means to cause absorption of said vapors by said liquid.

4. The method of recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a storage tank or the like which comprises conveying said vapors from said tank to a contact means, conveying hydrocarbon liquid to said contact means, and applying refrigeration to said liquid and contact means to cause absorption of said vapors by said liquid.

5. The method of recovering hydrocarbon w pors from a storage tank or the like which comprises conveying said vapors from said tank to a contact means, conveying hydrocarbon liquid to said contact means from said tank, and applying refrigeration to said liquid to cause absorption of said vapors by said liquid.

6. The method of recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a storage tank or the like which com- I prises conveying said vapors from said tank to a contact means, conveying hydrocarbon liquid to said contact means from said tank, and applying refrigeration to said contact means to cause absorption of said vapors by said liquid.

7. The method of recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a storage tank or the like which comprises conveying said vapors from said tank to a contact means, conveying lwdrocarbon liquid to said contact means from said tank, and ap- I0 plying refrigeration to said liquid and contact means to cause absorption of said vapors by said liquid.

8. The method of recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a storage tank or the like which com- 70 prisesconv yinggasestoandiromsaidtankby abreathingaciionandtherebyconveying hydrocarbon vapors from the liquid in said tank. contacting said vapors with a vapor converting means. applying refrigeration to said means and automatically maintaining the temperature at the said refrigeration between predetermined temperature limits.

9. The method 0! recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a storage tank or the like which comprises conveying gases to and from said tank by a breathing action and thereby conveying hydrocarbon vapors from the liquid in said tank, conveying said vapors to a contact means, conveying hydrocarbon liquid to said contact means. applying refrigeration to cause absorption of said vapors by said liquid. and automatically maintaining said reirlgeration between predetermined "temperature limits.

10. The method of recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a storage tank or the like which comprisesconveyingsaidvaporsfromsaidtankto a contactmeans. conveying hydrocarbon liquid to said contact means from said tank. applying refrigeration to cause absorption of said vapors by said liquid. and automatically maintaining said reirlgeratlon between predetermined temperature limits.

11. The method of recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a storage tank or the like which comprises conveying said vapors from said tank to a contact means. conveying hydrocarbon liquid to said contact means from said tank. applying refrigeration to cause absorption oi said vapors by said liquid and returning said liquid to said 12. An apparatus comprising a storage tank. vapor conveying means from said tank. contact means connected to said vapor conveying means.

0 liquid conveying means for conveyin l quid from said tank connectedto said contact means and refrigeration apparatus connected to one of said means.

18. An apparatus comprising a storage tank. vapor conveying means from said tank. contact means connected to said vapor conveying means. liquid conveying means for conveying liquid from said tank connected. to said contact means, refrigeration apparatus connected to one of said means. and means for conveying liquid from said content means to said tank.

14. An apparatus comprising a storage tank. vapor conveying means irom said tank. contact means connected to said vapor conveying means. liquid conveying means for conveying liquid from said tank connected to said contact means, refrigeration apparatus connected to one at said means, and means for controlling said refrigeration apparatus to maintain a refrigerating tem-. perature within predetermined limits.

15. The method or recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a storage tank or the like which comprises conveying gases to and from said tank by a breathing action and thereby conveying hydrocarbon vapors irom the liquid in said tank. conveying said vapors through a vapor converting means, applying refrigeration to said means and automatically controlling the refrigeration in accordancewithconditionsinsaid tanktendingto create a breathing action.

16. The method of recovering hydrocarbon vapcrsiromastoragetankorthelikewhichcomprisesconveyinsgasestoandfromsaidtankby a breathing action and thereby conveying hydrocarbon vapors from the liquid in said tank. conveying said vapors through a vapor converting means, applying refrigeration to said means and automatically controlling the reirigeration in accordance with pressure conditions in said tank.

J IOWEIL GIBSON. 

